Magic Video - David Devlin - The Untouchables

Unleash Unforgettable Mentalism with 'The Untouchables'

Prepare to astound your audience with 'The Untouchables' by David Devlin, a revolutionary card mentalism effect that redefines impossibility. Imagine a trick where your involvement is minimal, yet the impact is monumental. This isn't just another card trick; it's a demonstration of pure mental prowess, leaving spectators convinced you possess genuine psychic abilities. The beauty of 'The Untouchables' lies in its deceptive simplicity and the complete lack of suspicious moves, allowing you to focus entirely on crafting a mesmerizing performance.

The Impossible Effect, Explained

The journey begins with a spectator thoroughly shuffling a borrowed deck of cards. Another participant silently thinks of any number between one and fifty-two – a free and unrevealed choice. Crucially, you, the performer, step back. You do not touch the cards again for the entire effect. A third spectator is then invited to randomly construct a single playing card, for instance, the King of Diamonds, choosing both its value and suit without any mathematical procedures or constraints. After this card is formed, they shuffle the deck once more, ensuring absolute randomness.

Now for the climax: the spectator's thought-of number is revealed. Without any intervention from you, another spectator deals down to that exact position in the shuffled deck. The card is turned over, and against all odds, it is precisely the King of Diamonds! The astonishment is palpable, but David Devlin isn't done yet. For an unforgettable double-climax, a pre-written prediction, discovered on a Joker card inside the card box (which has been in full view the entire time), explicitly states that 'The King of Diamonds will be found at the 27th position!' – perfectly matching both the chosen card and its location.

Why 'The Untouchables' Stands Apart

'The Untouchables' offers unparalleled advantages for the modern performer. Its ingenious method is almost entirely self-working, meaning you won't be fumbling with complex sleights. The ability to use a borrowed deck eliminates any need for prior setup or gaffed cards, making it an ideal impromptu miracle. Spectator involvement is paramount, with multiple participants contributing to the impossibility, enhancing the magic's perceived fairness and impact. This truly hands-off marvel allows you to present a clean, direct, and utterly baffling piece of mentalism that will solidify your reputation as an extraordinary magician. David Devlin's creation is a testament to clever thinking, delivering an effect that feels genuinely supernatural every single time.

Original Specs

Here is the effect as the audience sees it: The deck is shuffled by a spectator. The performer has any spectator think of any number between one and fifty-two, but not to reveal it to anyone until asked by the performer. Nothing is written down. The number is simply thought of.

The performer gives the deck to any spectator. From this point on the performer does not touch the cards again, not even for a second. The performer turns his back so that he cannot observe the spectators following actions. The spectator now randomly constructs a single card. This is done very simply. There are no weird mathematical procedures or anything like that. He first comes up with the value. Let's suppose it is a King. He then creates the suit. Let's say it is a Diamond, thus the spectator has created the King of Diamonds. The spectator now shuffles the deck until he is content.

The spectator who has been thinking of a number since before anything has happened now reveals his number. Let's assume that the number is 27. At this point the performer faces the audience. Any spectator now deals to the 27th card. It is turned over by any spectator, and it is the King of Diamonds!

The performer states that perhaps this was all just luck or coincidence. The performer then proves that everything was predetermined by having the spectator open the card box (that has been in full view the entire time). The spectator does so, and removes the Joker card from inside it. On the back of the Joker is a note that is read by the performer along with the spectator. It reads:

"The King of Diamonds will be found at the 27th position!"

The deck can be borrowed; it is shuffled by the spectator before and during the effect, and best of all it is damn-near self-working.

1st edition 2015, 14 pages.

word count: 4644 which is equivalent to 18 standard pages of text